Growth of silicene layers on Ag(111): unexpected effect of the substrate temperature

J Phys Condens Matter. 2012 May 2;24(17):172001. doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/24/17/172001.

Abstract

The deposition of one silicon monolayer on the silver (111) substrate in the temperature range 150-300 °C gives rise to a mix of (4 × 4), (2√3 × 2√3)R30° and (√13 × √13)R13.9° superstructures which strongly depend on the substrate temperature. We deduced from a detailed analysis of the LEED patterns and the STM images that all these superstructures are given by a quasi-identical silicon single layer with a honeycomb structure (i.e. a silicene-like layer) with different rotations relative to the silver substrate. The morphologies of the STM images are explained from the position of the silicon atoms relative to the silver atoms. A complete analysis of all possible rotations of the silicene layer predicts also a (√7 × √7)R19.1° superstructure which has not been observed so far.

MeSH terms

  • Graphite / chemistry
  • Isotopes / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling / methods
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Nanotechnology / methods
  • Silicon / chemistry*
  • Silver / chemistry*
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Isotopes
  • Silver
  • Graphite
  • Silicon